Don’t Tell Me The Odds: Bears Playoff Futures and Other NFL Wagering Options Could Pay Off Big
There are days where I look at the Chicago Bears’ future and see where things aren’t all that bright.
Pro Football Talk ranks the Bears 30th in the site’s preseason rankings. ESPN sees a three-year stretch of futility ahead. The head coach is on the hot seat. The quarterback of the future is best served sitting behind a player who hasn’t started since 2014 and is trying to make the most of his shot as a starter.
However, if you’re feeling optimistic and have a few bucks to spare with a shot at a big pay day, then the 2017 Bears are your team!
Bovada (whose future odds you can check out in full here and here) gives the Bears 10/1 odds to make the playoffs, something the team hasn’t done since winning the NFC North in 2010. Speaking of winning the division, the Bears face the tallest hill to climb as far as those odds are concerned. At 12/1, the Bears are the longest of long-shots to win the NFC North. After all, the over/under on their win total this season has been set at 5-1/2 games. And if the Bears were to hit the over, the house pays $135 for every $100 you would put down on the Bears exceeding their low expectations.
Of course, if they’re going to turn their fortunes around, they’ll have to do it in a division that sent two teams to the playoffs in each of the last three seasons.
Want to aim higher? The Bears are a 40/1 shot to win the NFC, and only the Los Angeles Rams (66/1) and San Francisco 49ers (100/1) have longer odds at taking home the George S. Halas trophy. Have eyes on hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the first time since Super Bowl XX? If you have some spare change to throw around, betting on the Bears to win it all at 100/1 would pay off quite nicely at the betting window.
Here are some other prop bets that could be of interest this season:
- Player to record the most passing yards in 2017
- Mike Glennon: 100/1
- Mitch Trubisky: 200/1
- Player to record the most rushing yards in 2017
- Jordan Howard: 12/1
- Matt Forte: 100/1
- Player to record the most receiving yards in 2017
- Alshon Jeffery: 50/1
- Brandon Marshall: 100/1
- Cameron Meredith: Not on the board
- NFL Rookie of the Year
- Mitch Trubisky: 16/1
- Odds to win the NFC North
- Packers: -140
- Vikings: +225
- Lions: +425
- Odds to win the Super Bowl (Win for every $100 wager)
- Best: Patriots (+375), Packers (+750), Cowboys (+1200), Seahawks (+1200), Steelers (+1200)
- Worst: Browns (+20000), 49ers (+20000), Jets (+20000), Rams (+15000)
- Odds to win the NFC
- Best: Packers (+400), Cowboys (+600), Falcons (+600), Seahawks (+600)
- Worst: 49ers (+10000), Rams (+6600)
- Odds to win the AFC
- Best: Patriots (+190), Raiders (+700), Steelers (+700), Broncos (+900), Texans (+900)
- Worst: Jets (+10000), Browns (+10000)
